The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has accused President William Ruto of centralising control of government ministries, saying this is the root cause of Kenya’s governance failures.
Speaking during an interview on Friday, September 5, 2025, Karua claimed that most Cabinet secretaries and advisers serve only ceremonial roles, as Ruto directly makes and controls all major decisions. She argued that such concentration of power in the presidency undermines accountability, slows down program implementation, and sidelines institutions designed to provide checks and balances.
“You talk of advisers, Ruto is his own adviser. He is also the head of every ministry; everybody else is ceremonial. He advises himself. Those are just jobs he has given to his cronies,” Karua said, adding that this setup is unconstitutional and ineffective.
Karua also criticised the diminished role of the Attorney General’s office, noting that Dorcas Oduor, despite her constitutional mandate, has little influence in shaping government decisions. “Critical decisions are made by the presidency alone, leaving little room for independent legal guidance,” she observed, while pointing out that the office last had strong influence under Justin Muturi.
The former minister further accused the Ruto administration of being consumed by daily crises rather than focusing on governance. According to her, controversies and scandals dominate public discourse, creating a cycle of distraction that prevents ministries from delivering meaningful results.
“This regime lits fire every day. If we are not talking about the occupation process in Mandera by troops, we will be talking about goons in Nairobi. Today there is one scandal, tomorrow another. We must concentrate on real governance,” she said.
Karua’s remarks add to growing criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration, which has faced accusations of poor coordination, corruption scandals, and rising public discontent. Her call highlights increasing demands for a governance system that respects constitutional roles and empowers ministries to function independently.
